Smith shows appreciation with a big game for UF

FLORIDA 28, ALABAMA 13 - THE BUZZ

Even now, Ryan Smith still steals a second with Florida Coach Urban Meyer to tell him how he feels. "Sometimes," Meyer said Saturday night, "he just looks at me and says thanks."

The gratitude went the other way earlier in the day, as Smith's two interceptions helped the Gators beat Alabama 28-13 at Florida Field. Smith's best day at UF also included a pass breakup and three tackles. Smith's first interception ended Alabama's second drive, when he snagged a ball tipped by the Tide's Tim Castille. He returned it 29 yards to Alabama's 47. The second came in the fourth quarter, when Tide QB John Parker Wilson overthrew Keith Brown. Smith caught the ball and fumbled, but Reggie Nelson bailed him out by recovering it.

A replay review confirmed Smith made the interception before losing control of the ball. "I was pretty sure I intercepted it," Smith said. "But once I saw the replay, I knew it was good."

Such a day shows why Meyer and cornerbacks coach Chuck Heater spent some of the summer engineering Smith's transfer to Florida from Utah, where he earned a diploma in August. Smith took advantage of a rule allowing players with undergraduate degrees to transfer without sitting out a season. "He's a very serious guy," Meyer said. "He studies lots of film. And he really loves playing for the Gators."

Fans roar approval as Spurrier, Wuerffel honored

South Carolina Coach Steve Spurrier drew another pregame roar Saturday during his induction into the Florida Football Ring of Honor. Back here for the second time in four weeks, Spurrier joined Danny Wuerffel, Emmitt Smith and Jack Youngblood as the ring's charter members. Their names appear in large orange and blue letters on a faM-gade above the stadium's north end zone. Spurrier started his minute-long, thank-you speech by acknowledging the man for whom he played quarterback at UF. "I want to thank Ray Graves for bringing this hillbilly kid from Tennessee to the University of Florida," Spurrier said. Wuerffel, the most prolific quarterback to play under Spurrier, received almost as loud an ovation. "It was a great honor to play on this field," Wuerffel told the crowd. "And it was a huge honor to lead us to our first national championship."

Estopinan fills in nicely for suspended Thomas

After weeks of impressing his teammates and coaches, Javier Estopinan started at defensive tackle and played much of the game. "Javy took a big step [Saturday]," DE Jarvis Moss said. "He grew up a lot, and he had some key stops on the run." Estopinan came to Florida from South Miami High, where his wrestling state championship brought him more fame than football. But Saturday, in for the suspended Marcus Thomas, he made three tackles and helped hold Alabama to 83 yards rushing.

Many Gators contribute to Tide's first touchdown

Blame everyone for the botched snap that led to Alabama's lone touchdown. First, Kestahn Moore went in motion the wrong way, forcing Chris Leak to interrupt his cadence to correct him. That broke the timing between Leak and C Steve Rissler, whose premature snap hit Leak in the chest. "It was a formation thing," Meyer said. "[Leak] was trying to get that corrected, and [Rissler] snapped the ball." Alabama's Prince Hall scooped it away from a diving Leak and ran 50 yards for the score.

Etc.

Tailback DeShawn Wynn twisted his right knee on a third-quarter run and didn't return. . . . WR Percy Harvin, hampered by a high ankle sprain, dressed but didn't play. . . . After his 17-yard pop-up punt in the third quarter, Trinity Prep grad Eric Wilbur kicked a sideline case holding fans to cool the players. CBS cameras caught his tantrum live.